Sadly, though, the latter flourishes before good men do something to stop it. Often it takes an incident to prompt action and the recent kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls in north-eastern Nigeria is one such example.

We can imagine all too vividly the terror these young girls must be experiencing at the hands of these monsters and the West, including the UK, has offered its expertise to recover them.

Having served for nine years in the Army, I have no doubt that our special forces are well up to the task.

But first these men from Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group, whose name means ‘western education is forbidden’, have to be found. They hide in the vast, inhospitable terrain, where communication is difficult and the borders porous.

Elders from Chibok, where the girls are from, have been told their children will be sold into slavery for £7 each, forced to marry fighters in neighbouring Cameroon and Chad.

It’s a sobering thought that Boko Haram has killed 1,500 people this year alone and kidnapped eight more girls this week.

Nigeria is oil-rich but riddled by corruption and violence. I do not condone putting our armed forces in harm’s way on a whim – but this case has rightly struck a chord and a rescue attempt should be made if the circumstances allow.

Sadly, we cannot destroy every dark stain on our planet, but we might be able to return 200 young girls to their families.